Coin freed apparatus



Nov. 30, 1965 s. A. MAXWELL. 3,220,529

' COIN FREED APPARATUS Filed Jan. 14, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet l lNl/E/VTOR STE WA RT ALFRE D MAXWELL W/m r ATTORNEYS Nov. 30, 1965 s. A. MAXWELL 3,220,529

COIN FREED APPARATUS Filed Jan. 14, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 2 MINUTES.

lNVEA/Z'OR STEWART ALFRED MAXWELL I BY "fi ea ATTORNEYS f United States Patent 3,229,529 COHI FREE-l) APPARATUS Stewart Alfred Maxwell, Walsall, England, assignor to Fisher 6: Ludlow Limited, Birmingham, England, a British company Filed Jan. 14, 1964, Ser. No. 337,613

Claims. (Cl. 194-3) This invention relates to coin freed apparatus of the kind in which a predetermined quantity of electrical energy is made available in response to the insertion of coinage of a predetermined value and it is an object or the present invention to provide a new or improved form of such an apparatus whereby a customer may, upon insertion of the correct coinage and upon operation of an operating handle or the like, obtain a supply of hot water.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide, in such an apparatus which includes a heating chamber to which cold water is supplied, means whereby, if said operating handle or the like is left in its operated condition, the supply of cold water is terminated after the purchased quantity of hot water has been dispensed.

The invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accomanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a front elevation of a hot water dispensing machine the front cover of which has been removed,

FIGURE 2 shows the electrical circuit of the machine, and

FIGURE 3 shows the cam sequence diagram of the two timer-controlled switches.

The drawings illustrate a coin freed apparatus for dispensing hot water in response to the insertion of the correct coinage. The apparatus is housed within a substantially rectangular casing which is adapted to be mounted on a wall or similar supporting surface so that the major axis thereof is vertical. As is normal with coin freed apparatus the front of the casing (not shown) is removable so that access may be had to the interior thereof for maintenance or the removal of the coinage therefrom.

The front of the casing is provided adjacent the upper end thereof with the normal coin insertion slot and is further provided medially with a recess whereby access may be had to a platform (not shown) to which coins rejected by the machine are directed.

Mounted adjacent the upper end of the rear or fixed part of the casing is a suitable coin selector mechanism 11 which may be of any conventional type, which has not been shown in detail, and which will embody the normal testing mechanism in order that counterfeit or incorrect sized coinage will be rejected. The coin selector mechanism will include a chute or guide along or down which rejected coins are passed, this chute or guide being aligned with the aforesaid platform and will also include a chute 12 along which coins which have passed the various tests and have thus been accepted by the selector mechanism will pass, this acceptance chute 12 being aligned with a suitable detachable coin receptacle 13 mounted on the casing. As will presently be described, the apparatus provides instantaneous heating of water which passes therethrough and thus the apparatus does not contain any storage chamber or the like so that the coin receptacle 13 is preferably of substantial size so that one need not open the casing except at fairly infrequent intervals.

Projecting through the bottom of the casing is a water inlet pipe 14, the lower end of which is adapted to be connected to a mains supply pipe and the upper end of which is connected to a solenoid operated inlet valve 15. The outlet port from the solenoid operated inlet valve is connected to a manually operable outlet valve (operated by handle or knob 16), the outlet from which leads to a chamber 17 in which is mounted the instantaneous water heater 18 and a pressure switch 19, the outlet from this chamber passing to the discharge outlet 20 through which hot Water can be drawn off. Conveniently the discharge outlet leads to a nozzle which can be swivelled with respect to the casing 10 in order that the hot water can be directed over a predetermined area. The valve head of the manually operable valve is mounted on, or controlled by, a screw-type spindle 21 which carries on its outer end the knob or handle 16, the arrangement being that the spindle 21 projects through the one side Wall of the casing and has the knob 16 mounted on the projecting part thereof. A cover plate normally surrounds the heater chamber 17 and associated mechanism.

Also mounted within the casing is a timer unit 22 adapted to be driven electrically, operation of which is controlled by the pressure switch 19 and a manually operable master switch 23 so that the electrical supply to the timer 22, the heater 18 and a pair of relays 24 and 25 and a solenoid 30, can be switched off when the machine is being overhauled or if it is desired to put the machine out of action for any reason. The relays and associated electrical wiring have not been shown in detail in FIG- URE 1 and are normally protected by a cover plate (not shown).

The apparatus is designed to operate in response to the insertion of a penny, though it will be appreciated that it may equally operate in response to other coinage should it be so desired, the present apparatus being however specifically intended for use in public lavatories, caravan sites, garages and the like where the user will only require sufiicient hot water at any one time for washing the hands and face.

Projecting into the path of a coin travelling along the acceptance path is a spring loaded pivotable arm 26 which is adapted to be moved by the passage of a coin against the action of the spring, this arm being associated with the coin switch 27. Closing of the coin switch 27 as a result of the passage of the coin along the acceptance path energises a setting-up relay 24. Energisation of this relay 24, which has two contacts 28 and 29, carries out the following steps:

(1) A circuit is made to the solenoid 30 of the inlet valve 15 which is thus opened.

(2) A circuit is broken to coin blocking relay 25 which is thus de-energised and which thereupon projects an abutment 31 into the path of a coin into the selector mechanism immediately after the coin insertion slot so that whilst this blocking relay 25 is de-energised no further coinage can be inserted into the apparatus.

This position will remain until such time as the user opens the manually operable outlet valve and the valve has remained open for a short time.

Upon opening of this outlet valve water will flow through the already open inlet valve 15, through the outlet valve and into the heater chamber 17 and pressure will immediately be built up due to the restriction on the outlet side of the chamber so that the pressure switch 19 will be closed. Closure of the pressure switch 19 energises:

(l) The instantaneous heater 18, which may be of any conventional type, and (2) The timer 22.

Immediately the timer 22 commences to rotate, one of the contacts 32 closes and provides a direct circuit to the solenoid 31) of the inlet valve 15 which is thus kept open. Assuming that the outlet valve is left open hot water will continue to flow from the discharge outlet 20 until such time as the timer 22 has completed its cycle whereupon the aforementioned contact 32 will be opened and the Patented Nov. 30, 1965 V C) solenoid 30 of the inlet valve de-energised. The supply of water is thus cut off and therefore there will be no pressure in the heating chamber 17 so that the pressure switch 19 immediately opens and the heater 18 and timer 22 are cut off.

The instantaneous heater 18 is of fixed rating and therefore the heat of the water can be regulated by the amount by which the outlet valve is opened since obviously the more water that is passing through the heating chamber 17 the less hot it will be.

In the event that the outlet valve is closed by the user before the end of the timer cycle, again the supply of water to the heating chamber 17 will be cut off, the pressure switch 19 will open and the heater 18 and timer 22 will be switched off. If the user then again opens the outlet valve water will flow, the pressure switch 19 will be closed and the heater 18 and timer 22 will be re-energised and the timer 22 will then continue until the end of its cycle or until the outlet valve is again closed, which ever is the sooner.

The timer 22 includes a second contact 33 which serves, once the timer 22 has commenced its cycle, to de-energise relay 24 so as to allow contacts 28 and 29 to return to their original positions so as to energise the coin blocking relay and thus withdraw the abutment coin blocking member 31 so that in the event that someone has closed the outlet valve before the timer cycle has finished, a subsequent user will be able to insert the desired coinage. Upon this subsequent user opening the outlet valve he will initially receive a supply of hot water for the remainder of the previous users cycle and will then receive, in response to reactuation of the machine through the setting-up relay 24, a supply of hot water for a fresh cycle, namely that associated with the coinage which he has inserted.

The sequence diagram of the timer switches 32 and 33 are shown in FIGURE 3.

In order to prevent possible damage to the unit arising for example from a faulty pressure switch, an over-temperature switch 34 is disposed in the supply line to the pressure switch 19 so that in the event of the pressure switch 19 remaining closed when no water is present the over-temperature switch 34 will open and will cut off the supply to the heater 18 and timer 22. The over-temperature switch 34 is such that it can only be re-set manually so as to prevent it cutting in and out as a result of temperature variations resulting from the heater cooling down and then being re-energized.

Such an apparatus for dispensing predetermined quantities of hot water is of considerable value in public and other toilet facilities where the proprietor may not be concerned so much with the amount of hot water which anyone may use for washing their hands but is conerned with the wastage that may occur if a normal hot water tap is left open. Thus such an apparatus as described above may well be set up so as to operate at a purely nominal amount but ensures that hot water is only supplied for a predetermined period. Furthermore, within the limits of that predetermined period the actual supply of hot water can be directly controlled in accordance with the users wishes.

What I then claim is:

1. Coin freed apparatus of the kind in which a predetermined quantity of electrical energy is made available in response to insertion of coinage of a predetermined value comprising:

(a) a water inlet valve which is opened upon insertion of the correct coinage into the apparatus,

(b) a manually operable outlet valve,

(c) a timer unit,

(d) an instantaneous water heater unit to which water passes through said outlet valve,

(e) a discharge orifice through which water heated by the heater unit discharges,

(f) a pressure switch disposed between the outlet valve and the discharge orifice, which switch on operation activates the timer unit and energises the water heater unit, and

(g) means controlled by said timer unit for closing said inlet valve after a predetermined quantity of energy has been consumed by said water heater unit.

2. Coin freed apparatus of the kind in which a predetermined quantity of electrical energy is made available in response to insertion of a predetermined value comprising:

(a) a water inlet valve which is opened upon insertion of the correct coinage into the apparatus,

(b) a manually operable outlet valve,

(c) a timer unit,

(d) an instantaneous water heater unit to which water passes through said outlet valve,

(e) switch means operated upon opening of said outlet valve for activating said timer unit and energising said water heater unit and operated upon closure of said outlet valve for deactivating said timer unit and de-energising said water heater unit, and

(f) means controlled by said timer unit for closing said inlet valve after a predetermined quantity of energy has been consumed by said water heater unit.

3. Coin freed apparatus of the kind in which a predetermined quantity of electrical energy is made available in response to insertion of coinage of a predetermined value comprising:

(a) a solenoid operated water inlet valve,

(b) coin freed means for energising said solenoid,

(c) a timer unit,

(d) switch means controlled by said timer unit for maintaining energisation of the solenoid throughout a dispensing cycle and for so long as said timer unit is activated,

(e) a manually operable outlet valve,

(f) a heating chamber to which water passes through said outlet valve,

(g) a heating element contained in said chamber,

(h) a discharge orifice through which water heated in the heating chamber discharges, and

(i) switch means operated upon opening of said outlet valve for activating said timer unit and energising said heating element and operated upon closure of said outlet valve for de-activating said timer unit and de-energising said heating element.

4. Coin freed apparatus of the kind in which a predetermined quantity of electrical energy is made available in response to insertion of coinage of a predetermined value comprising:

(a) a solenoid operated inlet valve,

(b) coin freed means for energising said solenoid,

(c) a blocking relay rendered operative upon the insertion of a coin into the apparatus to prevent insertion of further coinage,

(d) a timer unit,

(e) means controlled by said timer unit for maintaining energisation of said solenoid during a dispensing cycle and for de-energising said solenoid upon completion of a dispensing cycle,

(f) means controlled by said timer unit for rendering said blocking relay inoperative after a part of said dispensing cycle has been completed,

(g) a manually operable outlet valve,

(h) an instantaneous water heater unit to which water passes through said outlet valve,

(i) a discharge orifice through which water heated by the heater unit discharges, and

(i) switch means operated upon opening of said outlet valve for activating said timer unit and energising said heater unit and operated upon closure of said outlet valve prior to completion of a dispensing cycle for de-activating said timer unit and de-energising said heater unit.

5. Coin freed apparatus of the kind in which a predetermined quantity of electrical energy is made available in response to insertion of coinage of a predetermined value comprising:

(a) a solenoid operated inlet valve,

(b) coin freed means for energising said solenoid,

(c) a blocking relay rendered operative upon the insertion of a coin into the apparatus to prevent insertion of further coinage,

(d) a timer unit,

(e) means controlled by said timer unit for maintaining energisation of said solenoid during a dispensing cycle and for de-energising said solenoid upon completion of a dispensing cycle,

(f) means controlled by said timer unit for rendering said blocking relay inoperative after a part of said dispensing cycle has been completed,

(g) a manually operable outlet valve,

(g) a heating chamber to which water passes through said outlet valve,

(i) an electrical heating element in said chamber,

(j) a discharge orifice leading from said chamber,

(k) a pressure switch contained in said chamber and operable when the pressure within said chamber exceeds a predetermined value to activate the timer unit and energise the heating element, and

(1) an over-temperature switch contained in said chamber for de-energising the heating element in the event that the temperature in the heating chamber exceeds a predetermined value.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,585,414 5/1926 Whalen.

FOREIGN PATENTS 480,905 3 1938 Great Britain.

RAPHAEL M. LUPO, Primary Examiner.

20 SAMUEL F. COLEMAN, Emminer. 

1. COIN FREED APPARATUS OF THE KIND IN WHICH A PREDETERMINED QUANTITY OF ELECTICAL ENERGY IS MADE AVAILABLE IN RESPONSE TO INSERTION OF COINAGE OF A PREDETERMINED VALUE COMPRISING: (A) A WATER INLET VALVE WHICH IS OPENED UPON INSERTION OF THE CORRECT COINAGE INTO THE APPARATUS, (B) A MANUALLY OPERABLE OUTLET VALVE, (C) A TIMER UNIT, (D) AN INSTANTANEOUS WATER HEATER UNIT TO WHICH WATER PASSES THROUGH SAID OUTLET VALVE, (E) A DISCHARGE ORIFICE THROUGH WICH WATER HEATED BY THE HEATER UNIT DISCHARGES, (F) A PRESSURE SWITCH DISPOSED BETWEEN THE OUTLET VALVE AND THE DISCHARGE ORIFICE, WHICH SWITCH ON OPERATION ACTIVATES THE TIMER UNIT AND ENERGISES THE WATER HEATER UNIT, AND (G) MEANS CONTROLLED BY SAID TIMER UNIT FOR CLOSING SAID INLET VALVE AFTER A PREDETERMINED QUANTITY OF ENERGY HAS BEEN CONSUMED BY SAID WATER HEATER UNIT. 